Marine Special Prosecutor's Investigation Approaches 'Peak' of Allegations of Outside Pressure... President Yoon to be Summoned Next Week

Summons to be Sent on the 13th... "It is common to give a few days' grace period after notification"

Investigation into 'Lee Jong-sup's Evasion to Australia Allegations' Continues... 'Yoon's Confidant' Lee Won-mo to be Summoned Again on the 12th

Yoon Seok-yeol attends the first trial for 'special prosecutor indictment' (Seoul=Yonhap News) Former President Yoon Seok-yeol is attending the first trial for charges including obstruction of official duties and abuse of power, held at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 26th. 2025.9.26 [Photo Collective] photo@yna.co.kr

The special prosecutor team investigating allegations of outside pressure and cover-up in the Chae Sang-byeong case announced on the 10th that they plan to summon former President Yoon Seok-yeol for questioning next week.

Special Prosecutor's aide Jeong Min-young stated at a regular briefing on the same day, "We plan to send the summons to former President Yoon on the 13th."

Regarding the specific date of appearance, he explained, "It is common to give a few days' grace period after notification, so we expect it to be around the latter half of next week."

Former President Yoon, who is facing charges of abuse of power and aiding and abetting a fugitive, is at the center of the so-called "VIP's outrage" allegations, which is the starting point of the outside pressure allegations. He is accused of instructing the Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense to exclude former Marine Corps Division Commander Im Sung-geun from the list of suspects.

He is also accused of assisting former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup in evading to Australia by utilizing agencies such as the National Security Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The special prosecutor team, which has strengthened its case through five interrogations of former Minister Lee, will now fully embark on the investigation of former President Yoon, the focal point of related allegations, about 100 days after the team's inception.

Regarding the possibility of indictments and arrest warrants for some suspects related to the alleged outside pressure, Special Prosecutor's aide Jeong explained, "We expect to complete additional work by the weekend and be able to provide an update on the 13th."

Former Secretary Lee Won-mo arriving for interrogation by the Marine Special Prosecutor (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Hyun-woo = Former Presidential Office Personnel Secretary Lee Won-mo is arriving at the special prosecutor's team for the deceased Marine's case in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on October 1st, to be questioned as a suspect. 2025.10.1 nowwego@yna.co.kr

In connection with former Minister Lee's alleged evasion to Australia, the special prosecutor team will again summon former Presidential Office Personnel Secretary Lee Won-mo as a suspect on the 12th. This will be his second interrogation, following the one on the 1st.

Secretary Lee is known as a close confidant of former President Yoon, having served as the Personnel Secretary, assisting with presidential appointments, from the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration until January of last year.

The special prosecutor team plans to question Secretary Lee about whether the personnel verification process for appointing former Minister Lee as ambassador to Australia was properly conducted, and whether there were any specific instructions from the Presidential Office. Yonhap News